Dolly Parton didn't just write hits — she created an American songbook

Parton, who died at 80 on Tuesday, had charm, depth, beauty, wit and radiant goodness. She was also a songwriter whose work told the story not just of country music but of the country itself.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3816x2600+0+0/resize/3816x2600!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F09%2F86%2Fee147895478a8199466adfc5fe25%2Fgettyimages-86099039.jpg' alt='Dolly Parton in 1979.'/><p>Parton, who died at 80 on Tuesday, had charm, depth, beauty, wit and radiant goodness. She was also a songwriter whose work told the story not just of country music but of the country itself.</p><p>(Image credit: Richard E. Aaron)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5944468' />